Get a Flu Too
by Kooro
Summary: Sequel to "Get a Flu": After caring for Marshall, it’s Mary’s turn to get sick. And she’s going to make Marshall pay twofold. Especially for that grape. MxM
1. Chapter 1

**Oh yes! The long-awaited sequel to ****Get a Flu**** is finally here. Mary and Marshall are back for more. **

**For those of you who haven't read ****Get a Flu****, I suggest you do before reading this. Just go to my profile, find the story and read it. It will help understand this one a bit more.**

**Sorry this took so long. But think of it as a belated Happy Thanksgiving present from me to all of you.**

**Enjoy!**

****Quick Note** The "too" in the title is the homonym for "two" as in the sequel. Just wanted to point it out just in case. It's not a typo.**

Get a Flu Too

_Chapter 1:_

Stan looked up from his desk as the familiar sound of footsteps echoed into the office. He shifted his gaze over to Eleanor as she stopped her filing to look back at him.

Together they walked out of Stan's office to intercept the owner of the footsteps.

Marshall was already at his desk, folding his jacket over the back of his chair. Sensing the two pairs of eyes watching him, he looked up to see Stan and Eleanor staring back at him. His eyes shifted between the two quizzically as his brows furrowed.

"Can I help you?" he asked uncertainly.

Stan and Eleanor exchanged glances before Stan stepped out of his office and walked towards Marshall.

"Do you know what time it is?" he asked expectantly.

Marshall looked up at the office clock perched on the wall at the back of the room.

"Yeah," he said, still uncertain of how the situation was playing out. "It's noon."

"Right," Stan agreed with a bob of his head. "Noon on an ordinary Thursday. Can I ask why it is you're just arriving at work at noon on a workday?"

Stan shifted on his feet in front of Marshall, his hands behind his back in a professional manner. Marshall fidgeted under his gaze, knowing full well that he was the tardy child being scolded by the adult.

"Sorry Stan," Marshall pleaded with a shrug. "I was sick –"

"But you have clearly recovered," Stan interrupted.

"Yeah, but-" Marshall started, avoiding his boss's eyes.

"And where's Mary?" Stan asked. "Did she forget it's a workday?"

"That's the thing," Marshall added quickly. "I got better. But Mary… Well, I guess she caught what I had."

Marshall offered Stan an apologetic shrug. "I'm late because I took her home. I told her to get some sleep."

"That's just perfect," Stan sighed, placing his hands on his hips as he looked up to the ceiling as if placing a complaint to God.

"Yesterday you were out with the cold and today it's Mary's turn. Honestly, how do we get any work done around here?"

Stan gave a sad shake of his head. Eleanor took her chance to approach the two men, her eyes shifting between the two in search of a way to lighten the situation.

"Don't worry," Marshall assured. "I'll get started on my work right away. And if I finish quickly, I can even do Mary's."

Stan mulled over the offer with a thoughtful expression.

"Are you feeling better?" Eleanor asked.

"Yes, thank you," Marshall answered pointedly, his eyes meeting Stan's in expectance.

Stan sighed. "All right," he said finally. "Get back to work." He turned to return to his office.

Eleanor coughed loudly behind him.

Stan turned back to face Marshall obediently. "Oh, and welcome back. Glad you're feeling better."

"Thanks boss," Marshall smiled.

Stan huffed and returned to his office. Marshall shifted his gaze to Eleanor. She smiled at him with a wink and turned to follow Stan back into the office.

Marshall let out a sigh of relief as he sank into his chair. He looked at the workload that had piled on his desk. Jeez. It had only been one day and somehow a towering stack of papers had accumulated on his desk.

He sighed and rubbed at his eyes. It was going to be a long day.

When he moved his hands from his face, he found that he was looking at Mary's empty desk. He stared at it for a while, trying to comprehend that Mary was just not going to be with him for the day.

It was hard to imagine.

He couldn't quite picture a day at the office without Mary. No neighboring tapping as Mary typed on her computer. No questions of hers to answer. No random bickering between her and Eleanor.

Not being able to hear Mary's voice.

Marshall deflated in his chair sadly as he pulled his eyes away from Mary's empty desk. It was too quiet now; too lonely.

Who'd had thought he's actually miss Mary's incessant teasing.

"Focus," he told himself with a shake of the head. He turned his attention to the papers on his desk. He had a lot of work to do and moping about the loss of teasing wasn't going to change anything.

He reached for the file at the top of the stack and was about to start working when his cell phone rang.

Surprised, Marshall froze, his hand hovering over his pen.

When his phone rang again, he jerked into motion, pulling the phone out of his coat pocket. He quickly flipped it open.

"You ok?" he asked worriedly, already knowing who it was on the other end.

He waited for a moment, listening to the silence on the other end.

Then, a course, quiet voice resounded in his ear: "Get over here."

Though the voice contained little malice – or strength for the matter – it still held an authorative tone. There was no urgency either. Just an order.

Marshall sighed, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"I'm on my way," he replied warmly.

There was a pause and then the call ended.

Marshall pulled the phone away from his ear and looked at it with a chuckle. Even sick, Mary still had her pride. And her stubbornness.

Marshall looked up to face Stan's office, already dreading the conversation that had to ensue if he wanted to leave for Mary's house.

His eyes widened slightly as two pairs of eyes met his through the glass.

Pressed against the glass, Stan and Eleanor stood watching Marshall, trying to overhear his conversation.

As soon as Marshall saw them, they quickly pulled back, pretending to be looking over a file conveniently held in Eleanor's hands.

With a smirking smile, Marshall ambled into the office, knocking against the open door to introduce himself to the two who were trying so hard to look busy.

Stan and Eleanor turned at the sound of the knock, guilty expressions etched on their faces.

"Hey Stan," Marshall said casually, leaning against the doorframe. "Can I take another day off? Mary needs someone to look after her."

"Well I suppose it's only fair," Eleanor cut in before Stan could refuse. "I mean, Mary took care of Marshall yesterday so Marshall can care of Mary today."

She tilted her head to give Stan a pleading sidelong glance. "What's one more day?" she asked innocently.

Marshall folded his arms over his chest in amusement, his eyebrows raised in expectance.

"All right fine," Stan agreed with a submissive wave of his hand. "You can have another day off."

"Thanks," Marshall said genuinely as he started to turn to leave.

"But," Stan added as he locked his gaze onto Marshall's, his eyes staring intently; seriously. "I expect you both back tomorrow in perfect condition. You two have a lot of work to do and I don't want any more distractions."

Marshall was about to argue that the flu wasn't a distraction but a part of life – an unavoidable part of life – but swallowed his response with a gracious nod of his head.

"Thanks Stan, I'll see you tomorrow.

Marshall offered a last bow of thanks and returned to his desk. He quickly scooped up his jacket and practically jogged to the elevator.

As soon as the doors slid closed and Marshall was gone from sight, Stan moved closer to Eleanor and slipped his arm around her waist.

"'What's one more day' huh?" Stan asked with a chuckle.

"Oh stop," Eleanor chided. "You were going to let him go anyway."

"Maybe," Stan replied as he leaned in to kiss Eleanor. She responded eagerly as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Stan pulled away to smile at Eleanor. "Maybe my inspectors should get sick more often."

---

**There's chapter one. **

**Just a warning: this fanfic is a lot longer than the first. Though maybe not as funny, I hope you'll find it to be just as good. ^_^**


	2. Chapter 2

**I sure hope you've read the first ****Get a Flu**** before continuing on to this chapter. Just a reminder.**

**Thanks to all of those who have read and a thanks to those you have commented (reviews give me HP)**

**A quick shout-out to…**

**BuJyo****, I'm glad I could offer such inspiration ^_^**

**And ****jazzyjenn5**** for staying with me for the sequel. Hope you enjoy it as much as the first.**

**On to the reading.**

Get a Flu Too

_Chapter 2:_

Marshall pulled up along the curb in front of the Shannon house and got out of his car. He started walking towards the house, locking his car as he left and then slipping the keys into his jacket pocket.

He ascended the few stairs and stopped at the front door. Gently so as to not aggravate any headache Mary was sure to have, Marshall knocked on the door and stepped back to wait patiently.

Surprisingly, the door opened almost instantly and Marshall found himself looking not at Mary, but at her sister Brandi.

"Hello," Marshall smiled cheerfully.

Brandi made a double-take, her eyes widening as she looked Marshall over from top to bottom.

"Marshall?" she finally asked incredulously.

"The one and only," Marshall replied breezily. "Mind if I come in?"

"Sure," Brandi said quickly, stepping out of the doorway with a flustered movement.

"Thanks," Marshall nodded as he stepped inside. Brandi closed the door behind him as Marshall stepped into the living room.

"Um," Brandi started as she stepped after Marshall. He turned to face her. "I don't mean to sound rude or anything but, what are you doing here?"

Now it was Marshall's turn to exhibit surprise as he turned to look in the direction of Mary's room and then back to Brandi.

"Mary didn't tell you I was coming?" he asked skeptically.

"No," Brandi admitted as she rubbed the back of her neck. "I thought she'd been asleep this whole time."

Marshall couldn't help but shake his head with a condescending smile. Stubborn Mary. Calling for him behind her sister's back. She must really be annoyed.

"Brandi honey, who is it," a singsong voice called from the kitchen.

"It's Marshall, mom," Brandi called back, making Marshall cringe. He wondered how anyone could sleep with these two yelling to each other.

A moment later and Jinx Shannon emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands on an apron tied around her waist. Her expression brightened when she saw Marshall.

"Good afternoon, Marshall," she chirped with a beaming smile. "What brings you here?"

Marshall offered her a nod in greeting. "Mary called me."

Jinx's smile flickered uncertainly as she tilted her head in puzzlement. "Really?" she asked. "When?"

Marshall's gaze flickered uncomfortably between Brandi and Jinx. "A few minutes ago," he answered honestly.

"Huh." Jinx said as she exchanged a bemused glance with Brandi. "And here I thought she's been asleep this whole time."

There was an awkward pause that Marshall felt he was the cause of. Apparently, Mary had called him behind her family's back and asked him – or rather ordered him – to come over without letting her family know. It wasn't a surprise actually. But still a little unnerving for a seemingly uninvited guest to come over.

A sudden sharp and horrid smell assaulted Marshall's nose, breaking him from his thoughts. He physically recoiled and had to fight the urge, out of politeness, to cover his nose.

Jinx too noticed the smell and sniffed the air proudly.

"Oh!" she exclaimed eagerly. "Lunch is done."

She hurried out of the room and back into the kitchen.

"Lunch?" Marshall choked.

"For Mary," Brandi explained. "Mom had insisted to make Mary lunch." Even she cringed against the smell.

The smell was absolutely vile. It smelled like something rotten had been tossed into boiling water and then cooked over the stove along with a few spices from the garbage dump as seasoning. The smell made Marshall's stomach clench and his eyes water.

It was now perfectly obvious why Mary had called him. And it was now his duty to perform the action she had secretly ordered: get rid of the family.

Marshall turned to where the air was slightly fresher, inhaled deeply, and then marched into the kitchen bravely.

Jinx was at the stove, swirling a smoking liquid in a large pot. The liquid was dark and bubbling. It was impossible to see what was swimming around inside it.

"Miss Shannon?" Marshall asked meekly.

Jinx turned and smiled at him.

"Smells good doesn't it?" she asked happily.

Marshall felt his stomach lurch and swallowed the reflex to gag. "Wonderful," he lied though gritted teeth.

His attempt at appearing truthful wasn't good enough. Jinx saw through the guise and her face fell.

"It's terrible isn't it?" she asked in a small voice. Her lips trembled as she turned to look sadly at her creation.

"It's not that," Marshall assured. "It's just that… I don't think Mary can eat that right now."

Jinx looked up at him quizzically.

"I mean, it's because she's sick," Marshall explained quickly. "When I was sick, I couldn't eat a thing. My stomach got upset easily. Since Mary has the same thing, I don't think she'll be able to eat for a while."

"Oh," Jinx said, brightening slightly at the fact that it wasn't her cooking that didn't appeal to Mary. "I guess that makes sense."

"But you know what did make me feel better?"

Jinx looked up expectantly, her eyes wide and pleading.

"Old fashioned chicken soup." Marshall smiled warmly.

"Oh," Jinx fidgeted uncomfortably. "I don't think I know how to make that."

"It's easy," Marshall enthused. He looked around the kitchen and retrieved a pen and paper from a nearby drawer. He quickly jotted down a list of ingredients for his favorite chicken soup recipe and handed it to Jinx.

"Here. Go to the store and buy these ingredients. When you get back, I'll teach you how to make a good chicken soup."

Jinx took the shopping list with a grateful smile. She clutched the list to her chest as if it were the secret to the fountain of youth.

"Thank you," she said sincerely and bounded out of the kitchen.

"Brandi," Marshall heard Jinx's voice call, "we're going to the store. Come on."

Marshall walked out of the kitchen to see Jinx and Brandi heading for the front door, their purses slung over their shoulders and Jinx holding the keys.

Jinx and Brandi turned back to look at Marshall.

"Are you staying?" Brandi asked.

"Yeah," Marshall replied with a slow smile stretching on his lips.

"You're welcome to stay as long as you want," Jinx offered. "Mary will probably be asleep the whole time so you shouldn't have to worry about her. Make yourself at home."

"Will do," Marshall said with a wave. "Thanks."

Brandi and Jinx turned and left, closing the door behind them. Marshall stayed standing in the living room until her heard the car start and rumble down the road until he could no longer hear the engine.

When he was sure that he was alone, he returned to the kitchen, grabbed the pot of swirling liquid, and dumped it down the kitchen sink.

"You're welcome," he said aloud.

---

**I have never had the pleasure of having bad soup but I took a guess. Mary's in the next chapter so stay tuned. **

**Until next time,  
Hobey-Ho**


	3. Chapter 3

**Remember to read ****Get a Flu**** or else a few references won't be understood. **

**Here's chapter three where Mary is finally introduced. **

**A big thank you to ****Rayn12**** first. Your review was amazing. Thank you so much for writing it. I hope you enjoy the rest of the story and please keep reading. Reviewers like you are the motivation I use to keep writing. **

**On to the chapter, away!**

**(I know its late but… Disclaimer: the characters of "In Plain Sight" do not now nor ever belong to me.)**

Get a Flu Too

_Chapter 3:_

The room was dark.

The window blinds were down and closed, sealing off the outside world. Only a few slivers of golden light seeped through the cracks in the blinds; the only proof that it was day outside.

It was also surprisingly cold.

The room had yet to be fixed after Agent O'Connor's merciless "search and destroy" mission and the damage was still visible despite the lack of light.

Marshall shivered as he stepped into the darkened room, careful to watch where his feet were so as to not trip on fallen debris or furniture.

His goal was the bulging mass at the other end of the room.

As Marshall drew closer, he could make out the structure of Mary's bed. And on top of it, a crumpled ball of blankets resided.

Several blankets were all tangled on the bed, outlining a form buried deep within. The blankets were tucked into a tight ball where, Marshall knew, Mary was hiding.

He quietly approached the bed and reached for the desk light beside the bed. He hesitated and gave Mary's bundled form an apologetic glance. Then he pressed the button and light flooded the room, chasing away the darkness.

The blankets on the bed shifted and a moan rose from the within.

Marshall drew closer and peered down at the bed.

His partner was nowhere to be seen. The only evidence that proved she was in bed at all was the bulge in the blankets. He couldn't tell what position she was in or even where her head was.

"Mary?" he asked gently.

Two hands wiggled out from the blankets and grabbed a pillow, holding it down. That explained where Mary's head was. She was hiding under her pillow as well, no doubt in an attempt to drown out the constant yelling of her family.

Marshall chuckled with a shake of his head. Mary was sick. No doubt about it. She was out for the count.

Marshall crouched down to the level of the blankets, a soft smile on his lips.

"Mare?" he called, carefully taking hold of the pillow and pulling it away.

Mary released it without a fight, revealing a mess of tangled blond hair strewn across the bed underneath.

"What do you want?" she growled vehemently. Her head rose slowly like a snake waiting for its prey to make the first move so that it could strike.

Marshall smiled warmly and reached out his hands to her. He touched his fingers to her forehead and divided her hair in half, moving his hands apart to open the curtain of hair.

Mary's eyes glared back at him, squinting against the light.

Marshall's smile faded at the sight. Even though he had gone through the same thing, it looked even worse as he saw the illness' effect on his friend.

Mary's face was ashen, a sheen of sweat coating her skin and matting her hair to her forehead, cheeks, and neck. Her eyes were bloodshot with dark circles. She shivered despite being buried in blankets and sniffed pitifully. The defiance in her eyes had extinguished and her usual strength and vigor was gone.

She looked absolutely terrible.

"Marshall?" she asked weakly, squinting to see him better.

"Hey Mare," Marshall replied sympathetically. "Told you'd I'd come."

His smile wasn't returned. Instead, Mary examined the room around her and looked past Marshall to scrutinize the area beyond her bedroom door.

"Are they gone?" she asked simply.

"Yeah," Marshall answered. "I sent them shopping."

"Finally," Mary huffed and flopped her head back down onto the bed. "They've been annoying the hell out of me the whole morning."

She paused in thought and her eyes moved to meet Marshall's. "It is still morning isn't it?"

"Noon actually," Marshall corrected.

"Whatever. They've been harassing me nonstop." Mary sighed heavily and ran her hand through her hair to clear her face. Her hair extended like a golden halo around her head.

"Brandi kept coming in to talk. Mom's been asking me all sorts of questions. Then she started cooking. Cooking! As if the food she makes will actually make me feel better. I mean, did you smell the stuff? It smells like something died in here now."

Mary released an exasperated groan and grabbed the pillow, slamming it against her face. "I can't take it," her muffled voice complained.

"That's why you called me," Marshall finished knowingly.

Mary pulled the pillow away and peeked up at him.

"You do have a contract to obey after all," she smirked, a faint light returning to her eyes; a glowing ember.

"You don't have to remind me," Marshall grumbled.

"Oh yes I do," Mary scoffed. "Take a look on the desk."

Marshall obediently turned away from his partner to look at the desk beside the bed. He knew what Mary wanted him to see as soon as he saw it, illuminated by the light of the lamp.

"You framed it," he noted incredulously; a statement more than a question.

Sitting neatly on the desk, directly under the lamp to attract the most attention was the contract Marshall had written for Mary.

When he had been sick, Mary had come to his house to care for him. The next day he had recovered but Mary insisted on getting even. Apparently a certain "grape" scenario had created a grudge against him and Mary had commanded that he make a contract stating that when Mary got sick, he would wait on her hand-and foot.

He just hadn't expected her to frame it.

"My revenge will be slow and painful," Mary mocked weakly from the bed.

Marshall looked back at her. She certainly didn't look threatening. Her only visible feature was her head. Everything else was lost in the web of blankets.

"Just don't overexert yourself," Marshall cautioned, caring little about Mary's revenge and more about Mary.

Mary smiled meekly at him but he could tell that she still had some stubbornness left in her.

"So," he started, changing the subject, "how are you feeling."

"Like crap," Mary said, her smile turning sour. "My head hurts, my throat hurts, everything hurts."

Marshall nodded with understanding.

"Why didn't you suffer like this?" Mary asked reproachfully.

"Oh I did," Marshall assured. "I felt terrible at the beginning too. This is phase one of the flu."

"Phase one," Mary groaned.

"Yep. Next is the running nose, the uncontrollable coughing. Lastly, phase three is an extreme tiredness that shuts you down for the rest of the day," Marshall explained. "Then, it's over." He snapped his fingers for emphasis. "And you're cured."

Mary groaned and buried her face into the bed. "Great. Just what I need. A whole day of suffering."

"Hey, you'll be fine," Marshall said. "You've got me."

Mary groaned louder and rolled over, pulling the blankets over her head so that she portrayed a cocoon.

"Just kill me now," she grumbled.

"Hey," Marshall protested, offended.

Mary mumbled something as the blankets rustled and then she quieted; a stillness overcoming her.

Marshall sighed with a dry chuckle.

"What a fine way to treat someone who voluntarily left work to take care of her," he murmured.

He stared at Mary for a moment with warm eyes.

"Oh well," he said as he stood up. "It's not like I have a choice anyway."

His eyes shifted back to the contract. He was bound to stay and care for Mary until the moment she recovered. Not that a contract was necessarily needed. He would have stayed with her anyway. No matter what.

---

**Aww, he's so sweet. And poor Mary. I'm sure you have all experienced the flu at one point in time. It is not fun.**

**But don't fret. Marshall will make her all better… in the chapters soon to come. **

**Until next time  
Hobey-Ho**


	4. Chapter 4

**To be honest, I tried to make this fanfic more of a comedy; funnier than the first. But when I started writing, the story took on a slightly different path. And, as I'm sure many of you know, when you start writing, the story takes over and the words just come out with little accordance to how you may have wanted.**

**So this is how it turned out so far. Still kind of funny, but a more serious portrayal of Mary and Marshall's relationship. Oh well, I still like it. And I hope you do too. ^_^**

**A big thanks to all my readers and commenters of course. Here's another chapter for you all!**

Get a Flu Too

_Chapter 4:_

The house looked a bit more presentable now and the kitchen actually looked decent enough to prepare food in.

Marshall wiped his hands and placed them on his hips proudly, examining his work.

With Mary asleep and the other Shannons out shopping, he had plenty of free time. And what better way to use said free time than cleaning.

So he had straightened up the house – as much as he could anyway without actually fixing the damage. Mary had made it perfectly clear that she didn't want anyone repairing the destroyed house. She wanted O'Connor to fix it.

Marshall was, however, able to sweep up and throw away fallen debris, wipe the dust from the furniture that hadn't been decapitated, and clean the kitchen so that food could safely be prepared in it.

All-in-all, it was a job well done and he hoped it would be appreciated.

"What are you preening for?" a familiar disgruntled voice sounded. "You look like an idiot."

Fat chance of that happening. Not with Mary around.

Marshall turned to face Mary as she staggered into the kitchen. He appraised her disapprovingly.

She was clad only in a pair of loose slacks and a white tanktop. Sweat coated the collar. Her hair was in complete disarray, looking like a sunburst. Tendrils of hair trickled in front of Mary's face despite her attempts at waving them aside. Her feet were bare and padded quietly across the floor.

"What are you doing?" Marshall asked in a condescending tone.

"Walking," Mary shot back, keeping her back to him as she approached the refrigerator.

"Mary," Marshall chastised.

"What? I'm just getting something to drink. I'm thirsty," Mary retorted with a sharp edge in her voice. "Can't I get something to drink without getting twenty questions?"

"If you need something, all you have to do is tell me," Marshall insisted.

Mary ignored him. She grabbed a bottle of water out of the refrigerator and slammed the door closed. She gave Marshall a threatening glare before twisting off the cap and pouring the liquid into her mouth, swallowing heavily.

"Wait. Slow down," Marshall ordered as he moved to stand before Mary. He grabbed Mary's hand that was holding the bottle and forced her to lower the bottle from her mouth.

"What is your problem?!" Mary fumed, her eyes glaring daggers at him.

"If you drink too much all at once you'll get sick," Marshall explained calmly.

"I'm already sick," Mary protested.

"It's simple physiology," Marshall started. "When you have a fever, you're body gets superheated, way past the range of a normal body temperature. When you're body overheats, it sweats to reduce heat exhaustion. The cure of course is to drink water but if you drink too quickly, your body will go into shock at the sudden change and you'll puke."

Mary stared at Marshall with a dumbfounded look.

"Understand?" he asked.

Mary shook her head, waving Marshall away. "Whatever, I'll drink slowly ok. Jeez."

She stormed past him back towards her room. But her legs buckled and she swayed where she stood, her body tilting to the side.

"Mary!" Marshall cried as he lunged for her. Her body hit his and he automatically wrapped his arms around her. "You ok?"

Mary groaned, her eyes shut tight.

"Come on Mary, tell me what's going on."

"Don't feel good," she mumbled; barely coherent.

"I told you," Marshall sighed.

Mary made a sound that sounded like a curse and Marshall figured it was best that he didn't know what she actually said.

"Come on," he said. "Let's get you back to bed.

Without a moment's hesitation, he scooped Mary up into his arms – making her groan against the sudden movement – and walked back to her room; her head bumping lightly against his chest. He gently placed her back in bed and plucked the water bottle out of her hand to place it on the bedside desk. Then he tucked the blankets around her.

"Ok?" he asked.

"I feel horrible," Mary replied, rolling back in forth on the bed in attempts to find the most comfortable position.

Marshall sat at the edge of the bed and gently took hold of her shoulders, stopping her movements. Mary opened her eyes blearily and gazed at Marshall with a watery stare.

Carefully, as if he were trying not to scare a frightened animal, Marshall reached out his hand to place his open palm against Mary's forehead.

Mary closed her eyes with a content sigh at the touch of his cool palm.

"Feels nice," she mumbled.

"And you have a very high fever," Marshall said.

He released Mary and fished around in his pockets. When he found what he was looking for, he pulled out his closed fist and held it out before Mary. She opened her eyes to stare at it quizzically.

"I figured I should bring this," Marshall said with a small smile. "Just in case."

He opened his hand to reveal a yellow pill and a white pill.

"What're those?" Mary mumbled.

"One's a Tylenol to reduce your fever and stop your headache," Marshall answered, picking up the white pill. "And the other is a cold tablet. It will reduce your symptoms and help you fight this bug."

"You had me at 'stop your headache'," Mary said groggily, her head lolling to the side as if she could no longer control its movements.

Marshall offered her a small chuckle but it felt false even to him.

He retrieved the water bottle from the desk.

"Open up," he ordered gently as he held the first pill in front of Mary's mouth.

Mary obediently opened her mouth without a snappy remark or crude insult. Maybe a sick Mary wasn't so bad after all.

Marshall dropped the pill into her mouth and placed the nozzle of the bottle to Mary's lips. He straightened Mary's head with his other hand and tilted the water bottle so that the fluid could flow into Mary's mouth.

Mary swallowed once and then choked, coughing into the bottle so that Marshall had to pull it away. Water spilled down onto the blankets that covered her. But the pill was nowhere to be seen. At least she swallowed it before coughing.

"Easy," Marshall said, elevating Mary's head so that she could breathe. He moved closer to her to place her side against his, propping her up.

"One more, he coaxed holding out the second pill. "Come on. You can do it."

Mary took several deep breaths before reaching out a shaking hand to grab the pill. She lifted her hand to her lips and popped the pill into her mouth. Marshall lifted the water bottle and tilted it for Mary to drink.

She swallowed slowly this time, careful not to spill or choke. When Marshall was sure that both pills had safely been swallowed, he returned to water to the bedside.

"There. Now you'll be fine in no time," he smiled with false hope. He knew the flu would be harder to get rid of then that. But it was a start.

Mary nodded deftly and Marshall lowered her back onto the bed and covered her.

"Comfortable?" he asked.

Mary nodded, her eyes already closed.

"Do you need anything?"

Mary shook her head.

"All right. I'm right here so don't hesitate to call if you need anything."

But Mary was already asleep, snoring quietly.

---

**The flu really can knock you out for the whole day. It sucks. **

**Next, the Shannons come home. What will happen to the peace and quiet?!**

**You'll have to find out next time. **

**Until then,  
Hobey-Ho**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for all the hits guy. Glad you're all enjoying it. **

**And I have to give a quick sorry to ****Kay8abc**** because, no, Raph doesn't show up. Sorry. **

**Now… time to get revenge for that grape. Fufufufu…**

Get a Flu Too

_Chapter 5:_

"Marshall! We're home!"

Marshall snapped his eyes open and jerked upright. He regretted the movement a second later.

He groaned as his head pounded painfully and his stiff limbs screamed in protest. Not to self: don't sleep on a couch that had had its padding surgically removed. His whole body was stiff.

"Hello?" the singsong voice sounded again.

"In here," Marshall called, his voice sounding rustic; the complete foil to the other voice.

A head popped out from the kitchen and into the living and smiled at him.

"Hello sleepy-head," Jinx cooed. "Have a nice nap?"

"Yeah," he lied as he stood, his bones creaking unhappily.

Jinx beamed and then disappeared back into the kitchen. Marshall stretched his sore limbs and followed Jinx into the kitchen.

Jinx and Brandi were standing at the kitchen table taking various foods out of plastic shopping bags. Marshall rubbed his eyes and came to stand with them, looking down at their purchases.

"That's everything," Brandi declared as she rolled all the empty bags into a ball and threw it onto the kitchen counter.

"Did you buy everything on the list?" Marshall asked.

"That and more," Jinx enthused. "We bought a few things that we needed too. Just ignore those." Jinx trotted over to stand beside Marshall, smiling up at him excitedly.

"So, teach me how to make chicken soup."

---

An hour and two failed experiments later, Jinx had finally concocted a decent chicken soup under the guidance and steady patience of Marshall.

Jinx stirred in the last ingredient as Brandi trudged around the kitchen, cleaning the various messes Jinx had left behind.

Grinning from her achievement, Jinx backed away from the pot to allow Marshall access to the soup.

Like a judge at a cooking competition, Marshall dipped his spoon into the swirling liquid and lifted the spoon to his mouth. He blew on the steaming liquid and sipped the soup.

He licked his lips thoughtfully, Jinx standing beside him anxiously with her hands clasped before her.

Marshall turned to face her. And smiled.

Jinx beamed widely as if she had just won first prize. Brandi embraced her proudly.

"A job well done," Marshall complimented as he retrieved one of the last clean bowls.

"Thank you so much," Jinx enthused.

Marshall couldn't help but smile at her joy. He shoveled several spoonfuls of the soup into the bowl.

"I'll take this to Mary," he said, indicating the bowl of soup.

Jinx nodded. "Tell me if she likes it."

Marshall nodded his acknowledgment and left the kitchen for Jinx and Brandi to finish cleaning.

He treaded towards Mary's room carefully, the steam from the soup propelled back to disappear against his chest.

He quietly entered Mary's room. The air was stuffy and warm as light from the outside world lit the room with a soft light that covered everything in a golden red glow.

The mass of blankets remained unmoved on the bed.

Marshall approached quietly and set the bowl of soup on the bedside table. He took his place on the bed beside Mary's inert form.

"Mary," he called gently, pulling back the covers to find his partner's sleeping face underneath.

At the sound of his voice, Mary's eyes fluttered open and slowly focused on him.

"Marshall?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Brought you some soup," he offered lightly.

Mary pushed herself up against the pillows to get into a decent sitting position. She brushed her hands through her hair, pushing back the loose strands of hair that dangled in her face. The color had returned to her cheeks and she seemed to breathe with more ease.

"Did Mom make it?" she asked suspiciously, her eyes narrowing.

Marshall offered her a knowing smile.

Mary looked away with disgust. "Pass."

"It's ok," Marshall said quickly. "I was with her the whole time. I taught her the recipe and watched her make it. I even tested it first."

He smiled pleadingly at Mary. "You need something to eat. Trust me. It's fine."

Mary searched Marshall's eyes but when she found only truth, she released a submissive sigh.

"Fine," she mumbled.

Marshall chuckled at her stubbornness and picked up the bowl.

"I see you're feeling better," he smiled.

"The headache's gone," Mary scoffed.

She reached for the bowl of soup and Marshall noticed that her hands were still shaking. He waved her hands away and reached for her face. His palm covered her forehead.

Mary tried to pull away but Marshall had already found his answer.

"Your fever is still pretty high," he pointed out.

"What of it?" Mary snapped.

Despite her glare, Marshall could still see her red-rimmed eyes and shivering form. He picked up the spoon and scooped up a spoonful of soup. He held the spoon out in front of Mary's face.

She glared sourly at him, color reddening in her cheeks that probably wasn't caused by the fever.

"I can feed myself," Mary growled.

"Your pride is going to bet you burned," Marshall retorted. "Literally."

Mary looked down at her shaking hands and looked away with a huff.

"Think of is as pay back for feeding me that grape," Marshall offered slyly.

Mary snapped her head back to glare at him. She opened her mouth to protest but was cut short when Marshall eased the spoon into her mouth and tipped its contents out of the spoon.

Mary reflexively closed her mouth as Marshall pulled the spoon away. She glared at Marshall with a mixture of surprise and absolute disdain.

Marshall smiled devilishly. "Swallow," he ordered.

Mary begrudgingly obeyed and swallowed the soup. A thoughtful expression washed over her face as she rolled her tongue around in her empty mouth.

"Well?" Marshall asked expectantly.

"It's," Mary started in a shock, "good."

Marshall refilled the spoon and offered it to Mary. She leaned forward eagerly and closed her mouth around the spoon to swallow the soup.

"Old family recipe," Marshall said proudly as he fed Mary another spoonful.

"Take me with you," she stated jokingly.

Marshall laughed as he continued to feed her.

When the soup was gone, he placed the empty bowl back on the table and helped Mary settle back amid the blankets.

She nestled her head against her pillow, her eyelids already starting to grow heavy with sleep; the soup warming her belly.

"Ok?" Marshall asked.

Mary nodded sleepily.

Marshall hesitated for a moment as he watched Mary's eyelids struggle to stay open. His smile flickered and turned forced as he leant down over Mary.

"I'll go back to work now."

Mary's eyes snapped open as she looked up at Marshall with a pained expression.

"Your mom and sister are here to take care of you," Marshall continued. "I'll tell them to keep it down. There's plenty of soup left if you want more. I'll check on you later."

Marshall moved away and started to stand.

He was stopped as Mary grabbed hold of his shirt sleeve. Marshall looked down at her quizzically.

"You can't go," she protested weakly. "You promised to take care of me. We have a contract." Her last sentence came out an octave higher and almost desperate.

Marshall placed his hand over hers as he lowered back onto the bed.

"Ok," he agreed. "I'll stay."

Mary still clung to his arm until he settled beside her on the floor, his chin resting on his folded arms as he gazed back at Mary. She moved her hand to slip her fingers through his. He smiled.

"You're not going to get sick again are you?" she asked as he eyes fluttered closed.

"No," Marshall answered quietly. "Physiology again. You can't catch the same flu twice because your body builds the immune system against disease. It's a fascinating process actually. You see, the body –"

And Mary fell off to sleep.

---

**Actually, my Anatomy/physiology class has helped with a lot with this fic. Maybe I'll consider taking a minor in it or something when I go to college. It's actually quite fascinating. Writing is definitely going to be my major though. ^_^ **

**Next chapter coming soon!  
Hobey-Ho**


	6. Chapter 6

Get a Flu Too

_Chapter 6:_

Marshall knew he was awake when he could see the darkness behind his own eyelids. Slowly, he felt his mind connect to the rest of his body as consciousness woke him from his dreams.

The first thing he felt was the prickling sensation of his legs waking up beneath him. His back hurt next and he flexed his muscles in a stretch that made his bones crack.

Then he felt a pressure on his hand and he opened his eyes.

Before him was the sleeping face of his partner.

Mary breathed deeply, her chest rising and falling in sync with the action. Her blond hair was tangled around her head and a few stray strands slipped in front of her face.

Marshall pushed himself up, his sore arms protesting against the movement. He sat back and ran his fingers through his hair. As his hand fell back to land in his lap, he felt something soft brush against his fingers. Looking down, Marshall saw that a blanket had been draped across his shoulders. He put his hand over the blanket and smiled, silently thanking Jinx and Brandi for taking care of him and keeping quiet for Mary.

Marshall heard a soft murmur and turned to look at Mary.

His sapphires locked onto her polished ambers.

He offered her a smile that she returned sleepily. She stretched widely and settled back against the bed.

"How long were we out?" she asked in a quiet voice, still rusty from sleep.

Marshall looked to her bedside table where an electric cloak beamed back at him with glowing red numbers.

"The rest of the afternoon," he answered in the same soft voice. "Hope you're hungry, 'cause it's dinner time."

"I swear to God, if Jinx made dinner…" Mary's sentence faded with a shake of her head.

Marshall chuckled lightly before placing his palm on Mary's forehead. "Feeling any better."

"Much," Mary sighed. "But now comes the coughing and sneezing right?"

"Unfortunately," Marshall said.

Mary's forehead felt warm; a normal temperature. At least the fever was gone. Now all she had to survive through was the residual coughing and running nose. Then it was just the exhaustion that would knock her out for the rest of the night.

Knowing Mary, she would be ready to go back to work the next day.

Marshall's hand unconsciously slid across Mary's forehead and then over her temple to rest on her cheek. Realizing his action, Marshall met Mary's gaze, his eyes questioning if it was ok. Mary's eyes sparkled back at him. Marshall felt the sudden urge to lean in closer to Mary and his head slowly started to dip down towards her.

"Dinner's ready!" a bubbly voice rang as Brandi suddenly jumped into the room.

She took one look at Mary and Marshall as the two partners turned to look at her; shock evident on both their faces.

"Oh!" Brandi said with a start. "Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt anything."

She dashed out of the room. A second later her head popped back in. "But dinner's ready." And she was gone again.

Marshall quickly pulled away and struggled to his feet, shaking out his sore legs as he straightened his clothes; all the while keeping his reddened face out of Mary's view.

Mary too kept her face lowered as she sat up and threw her legs over the side of the bed. She stood hesitantly but composed herself quickly, clearly wanting no assistance from Marshall.

"Dinner's ready," Marshall mumbled sheepishly. "We should go."

"Yeah," Mary said.

Before Marshall could add anything more, Mary stalked past him and out the door. Marshall released a heavy sigh and followed her out.

When they reached the dining table, both Jinx and Brandi looked up with knowing eyes and exchanged glances that made Marshall cringe and Mary bristle.

"I hope you don't mind having soup for dinner," Jinx said, quickly cutting off any complaint Mary was ready to give. "Marshall was asleep so he couldn't help me make anything else. And I know how bad my cooking is."

Mary shot Marshall a "she-finally-admitted-it" look and Marshall shook his head tersely in warning, not wanting her to speak her feelings aloud.

"Thank you Mrs. Shannon," he said instead.

Jinx nodded her head graciously with a beaming smile.

Marshall, Mary, and Brandi sat at the table as Jinx served bowls of steaming soup. When the others were served, she took her seat and recited a quick pray before inclining the others to eat.

"Well, I'm glad you feel well enough to join us," Jinx said happily as she smiled at Mary.

Marshall glanced at Mary. She still looked like a mess. Her clothes were disheveled and stained with sweat. Her hair was in complete disarray and her eyes were still red-rimmed. But at least she wasn't bed-ridden anymore with a fever.

Mary grunted in response as she shoveled soup into her mouth. Jinx's smile flickered uncertainly but she managed to keep it, just happy Mary was eating something she had made.

"Hey Marshall," Brandi called in a somewhat boastful voice.

Marshall regarded her cautiously. Even Mary was shooting Brandi a warning glare. Brandi paid no attention to either.

"You staying the night?" she asked with a deviant smile.

Mary choked on her soup and coughed loudly.

"Are you ok?" Jinx asked worriedly.

"Fine," Mary snapped, holding her hand over her mouth to cover the coughing.

"And phase two begins," Marshall muttered under his breath.

Within minutes, Mary was coughing and sniffling pitifully. She blew her nose several times, each time seemingly making her worse.

"All right," Marshall finally stated as he stood up. "Come on, back to bed."

He walked over to Mary and helped her to her feet, leading her out of the room as Jinx and Brandi watched silently.

As soon as they entered Mary's room and were out of hearing, Mary pushed away from Marshall and fell back against a wall, sliding down to land in a heap on the floor. Marshall was at her side in an instant.

"Hey, come on," he called, "you can make it to the bed."

He reached out his hands to help her up but Mary slapped his hands away.

"I don't need your help, doofus," she growled. She took a quivering breath and slumped against the wall. "I'm fine."

Marshall tottered back onto his heels as he examined Mary.

"You were faking?" he asked skeptically.

"Not completely," Mary admitted. "But enough to get us out of there." She smiled wryly at Marshall and he couldn't help but smile back.

"You are so bad," he chastised lightly with a shake of his head.

"It got us out of there didn't it?" Mary asked. "In my book, that's a win."

"You play dirty."

"Had to do what I had to do. Anything to get away from them."

"You shouldn't do that. They're worried about you."

"Oh, sorry, did I make you worry?" The words came out dripping with sarcasm as Mary smirked at Marshall.

"Yes," Marshall answered sincerely, his eyes locking on to Mary's.

She sobered instantly.

"When I had the flu, I felt terrible. Knowing that you're going through the same thing doesn't ease my mind any. In fact, I feel even worse knowing that I'm the one who gave it to you," Marshall said with complete seriousness. "So yes, when I saw you coughing like that, I got worried. I've been worried this whole time. That's part of the reason why I came over here."

He swallowed and looked down, lowering himself into a sitting position on the floor in front of Mary.

"What was the other part?" Mary asked after a long pause.

"What?" Marshall asked, taken by surprise by the question.

"You said worry was part of your reason for coming over here," Mary explained. "What was the other part?"

"Well," Marshall began shakily, his eyes shifting around the room in an attempt to avoid Mary's stare. "You did tell me to come."

"And?" Mary asked expectantly.

"And," Marshall continued nervously. "I guess I wanted to come." His eyes finally met hers. "To take care of you."

Mary's eyes widened slightly.

"That's what partners do," Marshall explained, "take care of each other."

Mary nodded slowly in agreement. Marshall sighed, a burden lifted from his shoulders as he smiled back at her meekly.

"All right," Mary said with finality.

She stood abruptly and leaned against the wall for support. Marshall scurried up to his feet as well, stifling his question. He was sure Mary was going to tell him what she wanted eventually anyway.

"You want to take care of me?" she asked.

"Or course," Marshall answered.

"Ok. You can start by making the room stop spinning."

She swayed where she stood and pitched forward. Marshall was already standing before her with his arms open. She fell into him and he closed his arms around her.

Mary inhaled with a shuddering breath, the sound muffled by Marshall's chest. She fell limp in his arms and he scooped her up; her head resting against his shoulder. She groaned in discomfort.

"Hang on," Marshall cooed as he approached the bed.

He gently placed her in bed and covered her with a few blankets. She no longer needed a mass amount.

"Is that any better?" Marshall asked.

Mary opened her eyes with some difficultly. "No, the ceiling's still moving."

"How about now?" Marshall asked and he placed his face in front of Mary's smiling down at her warmly.

"What did you do?" Mary asked. "Now my ceiling's morphed into some sort of monster."

"Ha-ha," Marshall laughed dryly. "Just close your eyes."

Mary obeyed silently. "That's more like it," she announced.

She yawned and nestled against the bed. "Man I'm tired."

"That's phase three," Marshall explained with a shrug. "It usually comes pretty quickly after phase two. They tend to merge."

"Thanks for the update," Mary mumbled.

She shook her head as if trying to keep herself awake. Her eyes fluttered open.

"You don't have to stay," she said in nearly an inaudible whisper. "You can leave now if you want."

Marshall leaned in closer and embraced her hand within his own.

"I think I can stay a little longer," he said with a soft smile. "I do have a contract to abide by."

Mary smiled weakly at him as her eyes closed.

"Here," Marshall offered. "This should help."

He moved closer and touched his lips gently against her forehead. He pulled away to find her looking at him, renewed strength burning in her eyes.

"You missed," she stated simply and placed her hands on either side of Marshall's face, pulling him closer to press her lips against his.

---

**Just had to put in a kiss. Just wait till the next chapter. A sudden twist unfolds. Fufufufu…**

**Stay tuned and please stay with me a little longer o' loyal readers. Don't forget, reviews make my world go round.**

**Hobey-ho**


	7. Chapter 7

Get a Flu Too

_Chapter 7:_

A soft shuffling woke Marshall and he opened his eyes slowly.

Soft sunlight drifted into his vision and he lifted his gaze to find the source. He saw that the window that had originally been blockaded by curtains was now open, allowing sunlight and a fresh breeze to trickle into the room.

Marshall heard movement behind him and he pushed himself up off the bed, his bones creaking in protest. He really shouldn't sleep sitting on the floor. It was causing him too much unneeded discomfort.

"About time," a voice sneered behind him.

Marshall turned in surprise to see Mary.

She was buttoning the last few buttons on her shirt and turned her gaze to meet his as she fixed her collar.

"Didn't take you as a late sleeper," she chided, examining herself in the mirror.

Marshall turned to lean his back against the side of the bed, his eyes looking Mary up and down, a small smile spreading across his lips.

It was like Mary had changed into an entirely different person overnight. Her golden blonde hair had been brushed back and glittered beautifully in the sunlight. She had changed into fresh work clothes. She stood straighter with new strength and a graceful composure. The dark circles under her eyes were gone.

His Mary was back.

"Didn't take you as an early riser," Marshall countered.

Mary shot him a glare and he flashed her a smile.

Painfully, he rose to his feet and moved closer to Mary.

"I guess you're all better now," he concluded.

"Completely cured," Mary concurred as she slipped her jacket on.

"Well enough to go to work?" Marshall asked despite already knowing the answer.

"Yep," Mary answered, smoothing down her jacket. "Figured Stan would throw a fit if I missed another day."

Marshall grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face him. She stopped fussing with her clothes and looked up at him with bemusement.

"Work and Stan aside, you're sure you're feeling better?" Marshall asked, his eyes searching Mary's.

"Of course," Mary answered as if it were the simplest thing to understand. She swiped Marshall's hands away and resumed getting dressed. "I told you, I'm cured. Just needed a day to get on my feet is all."

Marshall stepped back to lean his shoulder against the wall. A prideful smile lit up his face.

"You owe me."

Mary spun around. "Excuse me?" she growled.

"You heard right," Marshall smirked.

"I owe you?" Mary asked sardonically. "Who's the one that got me sick in the first place?"

"True," Marshall shrugged, "But it was my magic kiss that cured you."

"Magic kiss?" Mary asked incredulously.

"That's right. You were a wreck until I gave you that kiss," Marshall explained triumphantly. "Now here you are: cured."

Mary stepped closer, peering at Marshall as if he had just grown another head.

"What kiss?"

**Sorry this took a little longer to post than usual. But hey, nothing like a good 'ol cliffhanger to keep you guys waiting for me. **

**Poor Marshall, right?... And yet, I couldn't resist. Told ya I'm evil. **


	8. Chapter 8

**My early Christmas – or late Hanukkah – gift to you. Yes, Kwanza too. **

**Thanks for sticking with me for so long. I'm glad you've enjoyed the read. And yes, this is the conclusion. **

**Thanks to all that have read and to all that have commented. That's a gift in itself. **

Get a Flu Too

_Chapter 8:_

"_What kiss?"_

Marshall's face fell as his shoulders sagged in disbelief. "What?"

"What kiss?" Mary repeated.

"The kiss… last night…" Marshall's words faded in shock.

He lifted his hands as if to interpret what had happened. But when Mary still showed no signs of recollection, they fell limply to his side. "You don't remember?"

Mary shook her head slowly. "That sounds like something I would remember. You sure you weren't dreaming."

"No! I –" Marshall started but stopped with a heavy sigh of defeat.

"Never mind," he mumbled sadly.

Mary's quizzical gaze lingered on him a moment more before she turned away. She looked back at her reflection in the mirror and, satisfied with what she saw, left the room.

Marshall stood alone, staring sadly down at the floor.

How could Mary have forgotten? She was the one who had initiated the kiss. She had kissed him first. And now the memory was wiped from her mind.

Had the illness affected her? Did the flu make her act out of character? Or was she in character and the flu merely erased the memory?

The reason didn't matter now. Mary didn't remember kissing Marshall. It was a memory forced to be felt by him alone. He wanted to share it but as long as Mary didn't remember, she would reject the fact, claiming that it couldn't possibly have happened.

Marshall sighed submissively and trudged out of the room. He made his way slowly towards the kitchen where the voices of the Shannons resounded.

"Good morning Marshall," Jinx enthused as soon as she saw the marshal.

"Sleep well?" Brandi asked in a tone that made Mary glare in warning.

"Yeah," Marshall asked monotonously.

"What's wrong?" Jinx asked, walking up to him.

"Just a little tired is all," Marshall lied, forcing a smile for Jinx.

She beamed back. "Well, some breakfast will help that."

She skipped to the refrigerator and pulled out a wrapped bowl. She placed the bowl on the table and took off the covering.

Cold soup stared back at them.

"Soup anyone?" Jinx asked sweetly.

"Sorry mom," Mary said suddenly, grabbing an apple from a basket on the counter. "Gotta run. Don't want to be late for work."

Before Jinx could argue, Mary took hold of Marshall's arm and pulled him out of the room and towards the front door.

"See you tonight," she called back over her shoulder as she opened the door and pushed Marshall through.

He complied without resistance.

"Keep moving," Mary hissed under her breath as she led Marshall towards her car. "If they see us standing around in one spot for too long, they'll come out to drag us back in."

Mary left Marshall at the passenger-side door and trotted to the driver's side. She slipped into the seat and Marshall followed suit, plopping down into his seat. Mary quickly started the car and after a few seconds of groaning, the car surged to life.

Mary pulled out of the driveway and onto the road, picking up speed.

The ride was silent: Mary focused on the road before her and Marshall gazing numbly at his folded hands.

How could she have forgotten?

Next thing he knew, Mary was pulling into the building's parking lot. She parked and turned the car off.

Silence consumed the car in a thick blanket.

Finally Mary turned to face Marshall.

"Oh stop sulking," she ordered and took his face in her hands.

Before he could react or even think of a reaction, Mary's lips were pressed against his and his mind went blank.

All too soon, Mary pulled away, a scolding smirk etched on her lips.

"You doofus," she said, "did you really think I forgot?"

Marshall stared at her with eyes wide and mouth agape.

"I couldn't agree with you," Mary explained, "because I knew Squish would be listening in. She just loves to spy on me."

Mary looked up at Marshall, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "I had to play dumb. If I said that I did remember the kiss, I'd never hear the end of it."

Marshall hadn't even blinked.

"I'm sorry I had to that," Mary muttered as she looked away regretfully. "But I just couldn't give Brandi the upper-hand. You understand?"

Mary looked back at Marshall in time to see him lean towards her and kiss her.

"You play dirty," Marshall said when he pulled away.

Mary smiled devilishly. "But you love it."

He smiled at her, glad that the memory of their kiss was shared.

"But no one can know about it," Mary said, pointing her finger at Marshall in warning.

Marshall shrugged in compliance. "Get that in writing and it's a deal."

**Merry ChristmaHanaKwanzakkah to all, and to all a good night!!!**

**Hobey-Ho**


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